Canisius (8-12-2, 7-6-2 AHA) vs. Mercyhurst (13-9-4, 11-1-3 AHA)
Dates: Thursday, January 23 / Saturday, January 25
Times: 7:05 p.m. / 7:05 p.m.
Locations: Buffalo State Sports Arena / Mercyhurst Ice Center
TV/Webcast: America One Network
Live Audio: GoGriffs.com
DI Series History: Mercyhurst leads, 26-20-8
The Canisius hockey team meets Mercyhurst in a home-and-home series this week. The Griffs host the first-place Lakers on Thursday before meeting in Erie, Pa. on Saturday. Both games are set for 7:05 p.m.
SCOUTING THE GRIFFS
• Canisius (8-12-2, 7-6-2 AHA) took one point from a series with Bentley last weekend, losing 4-1 and playing to a 2-2 tie.
• Kyle Gibbons leads the Griffs with 20 points and nine goals. Gibbons and defender Ben Danford are tied for the team lead with 11 assists.
• Senior Tony Capobianco (3.21 gaa, .906 sv pct.) and junior Keegan Asmundson (2.43 gaa, .932 sv pct.) have split time in goal this year.
WISEMAN SCORES A SCHOOL RECORD
• Junior Tyler Wiseman is always a threat to score, especially when the team is short-handed.
• Wiseman is tied for the national lead with three short-handed goals this season (one of eight players in the country). His three man-down tallies are also tied for the most in the program’s Division I history.
• Overall, Wiseman has six points and four goals this season.
TWO GREAT GOALTENDING OPTIONS
• When first looking at the Griffs’ goaltenders, one might see a drop off in performance from last season. However, that isn’t necessarily the case.
• After a slow start, Tony Capobianco has rebounded to his 2012-13 form. The senior has not lost a conference game since Nov. 8 and is 4-0-2 with a 2.20 gaa and .930 save percentage in his last seven starts.
• Junior Keegan Asmundson has also provided the Griffs with a spark. In six league games, Asmundson owns a 1.90 goals against average and .940 save percentage with a 3-3-0 record.
GIBBONS LISTED ON HOBEY BAKER BALLOT
• Senior Kyle Gibbons is listed on the initial Hobey Baker ballot.
• Fans can vote for who they believe deserves the award as the nation’s top player by visiting hobeybaker.com and clicking the Vote for Hobey link.
• Voting closes on March 9 and the list will be narrowed down to 10 semifinalists on March 20.
• Gibbons leads the Griffs with 20 points, nine goals and 11 assists this season.
CANISIUS – MERCYHURST SERIES HISTORY
• Two long-time rivals, the Griffs have played the Lakers more than any other school in the program’s history. In 75 all-time meetings, Mercyhurst holds a 39-27-9 advantage against Canisius, including 26-20-8 edge in Division I meetings.
• The Griffs handed the Lakers their only loss in conference play this season, posting a 4-3 victory in Buffalo on Nov. 9. Patrick Sullivan (2g, 1a) and Matthew Grazen (3a) led Canisius to the win with three points apiece.
• Canisius also posted a win in the biggest meeting between the two rivals last year, earning a 7-2 victory in the 2013 Atlantic Hockey Championship.
• The home team has won the last six meetings during regular-season play.
ABOUT THE LAKERS
• Mercyhurst is in first place in the Atlantic Hockey standings with an 11-1-3 record. The team’s only loss came to the Griffs on Nov. 9 in Buffalo.
• The Lakers are unbeaten in their last six games, including a pair of ties with Connecticut last week.
• Mercyhurst ranks first in Atlantic Hockey with a 3.46 scoring offense, featuring five players with at least 20 points this season.
• Matthew Zay leads the team with 33 points and 14 goals. Daniel O’Donoghue is second with 30 points, including a team-leading 20 assists.
• Jimmy Sarjeant has started 21-of-26 games this season, posting a 13-4-4 record with a 2.41 goals against average and .930 save percentage.
